


Sonnets of the Gondolindrim

by HASA_Archivist



Category: The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Canon - Enhances original, Characters - Strongly in character, Characters - Well-handled emotions, First Age, Plot - Can't stop reading, Plot - I reread often, Poetry, Writing - Every word counts, Writing - Mythic/Poetic, Writing - Well-handled introspection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-18
Updated: 2003-07-27
Packaged: 2018-03-23 13:05:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3769607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HASA_Archivist/pseuds/HASA_Archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>"We were as men who through a fen</i>
</p><p>
  <i> of filthy darkness grope. </i>
</p><p>
  <i>We did not dare to breathe a prayer </i>
</p><p>
  <i>or to give our anguish scope. </i>
</p><p>
  <i>Something was dead in each of us </i>
</p><p>
  <i>and what was dead was Hope."</i>
</p><p>Maeglin writes sonnets to Idril.</p><p>
  <b>Finalist at the 2004 Mithril Awards - poetry</b>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Light

I used to long for light of moon and sun  
When in Nan Elmoth’s dark and lonesome bow’r.  
At last my father’s smithy I did shun,  
And lis’t to mother’s tales of Golden flower.  
Escaped at last from dark abode of night  
I made my home in Gondolin the fair.  
Bereft of parents, lonely, yet new light  
Streamed in me when I saw thee sitting there.

O Idril! Eyes like misty drops of dew  
And golden hair like strands of sunlight streams,  
My soul is lost when thou art in my view,  
And sleep or wake thou hauntest me in dreams.

One glance from thee doth still my beating heart.  
When thou art mine then never shall we part.  



	2. Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"We were as men who through a fen_

O Idril! Wilt thou not once look to me?  
Thou seest how in torment my heart writhes.  
I shrink from scoffing glances that I see,  
And the cold looks of stone from thy bright eyes.

Avoidest thou my presence, though I long  
For thee to see alone, if thou dost wish.  
But me thou heedest not, and hold me wrong  
If thy soft tender lips I wish to kiss.

Thou givest all the kindness and the good  
To Gondolin, the people of the flow’r,  
Though I could not once touch thee, though I would;  
Of my time here I curse each bitter hour.

Rejection of my love doth plant a seed.  
Beware lest my dark soul thou dost not heed.


	3. Darkness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"We were as men who through a fen_

I gnaw the bindings of mine own dark hate  
Immured in my lugubrious heart’s cell.  
Nothing but blood can mine own vengeance sate,  
Or else will plunge my soul deep into hell.

How dost the base-born mortal, Tuor, dare  
To touch thee, silver maiden, with his hand?  
The argent bridal gown thy lithe form wears.  
How much more torment can my soul yet stand?

My torment greater is than thou canst know,  
Within the love of thy own father’s house.  
To Tuor deepest scorn I will not show:  
But burn inside for hate of mortal louse.

I gnaw the bindings of mine own deep hate.  
Beware lest thou partake of my dark fate.  



	4. Author's note

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"We were as men who through a fen_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from the HASA Transition Team: This story was originally archived at [HASA](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Henneth_Ann%C3%BBn_Story_Archive), which closed in February 2015. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in February 2015. We posted announcements about the move, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this author, please contact The HASA Transition Team using the e-mail address on the [HASA collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hasa/profile).

Front quote by Oscar Wilde from "The Ballad of Reading Gaol."

Within the following four sonnets, I tried to portray the feelings that Maeglin undergoes and how he views Idril after his arrival in Gondolin. The sonnets begin with his first being enchanted by the golden light of Idril, and ends with his dark thoughts while being tormented by Morgoth.

Please feel free to proffer any reviews or suggestions for me; I really would like some feedback.


	5. Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"We were as men who through a fen_

Pain. Pain, and anger, torment for my soul,  
My heart strings raked in never-ending pain,  
I’m cloven into two, I am not whole.  
I pray that all my toil shan't be in vain!  
Limbs wrung and twisted, broken, cut and stretched;  
My body just as spirit feels inside.  
In squalid filth how many times I’ve retched!  
To Idril in the darkness how I've cried!

But for thee, my Idril, I’d do aught,  
And then my torment Morgoth would relieve –  
Thou understand why this dark fate I’ve sought:  
That thou’lt be mine at last I still believe.

O Gondolin! The Golden-budded Flower!  
Thou at last hath seen thy final hour.  



End file.
